Aeroplane



. Nov. 19, 1929.

R. v. SPENCER 4 Sheets-Sheet l 1 Inventor Nov. 19, 1929. R. v. SPENCERAEROPLANE File ly 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 N 19, 1929- R. v. SPENCER I1,736,226

AEROPLANE il y 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Ill IIIIII1 "lqllf'll'll l PatentedNov. 1 9, 1929 UNITED STAT-ES "PA TENT orrice RICHARD V. SPENCER, 0]!LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

AEROPLAN Application filed July 22,

plane and has for its prime object to provide means for preventing theends of the wings from dragging when the aeroplane is taking oif orlanding. Another very important object of the invention resides in theprovision of such means which may be swung lnwardly and under the wingsin an out of the way position when not being used. v

A still further very important object of the invention resides in theprovision of an improved structure of this nature which is simple,strong, and durable, easy to manipulate,

compact and convenient, thoroughly eflicient Y and reliable in use andoperation, and otherwise well adapted to the purpose for which it isdesigned.

With the above and numerous other objects in view as will appear as thedescription proceeds, the invention resides in certain novel features ofconstruction, and in the combination and arrangement of parts as will behereinafter more fully In the drawing: Figure 1 is a top plan view ofanaeroplane embodying the features of my invention showing a portion ofthe fuselage broken away to illustrate the improved structure,

Figure 2 is aside elevation of thetransmission housing,

Figure 3 is a longitudinal vertical section therethrough, .takencentrally therethrough, Figure 4 is a detail sectional view takensubstantially on the line 44 of Figure 3,

Figure 5 is an end elevation of one of the wings with the wheeled truckmounted there- Figure 6 is a front elevation thereof, Figure 7 is anenlarged sectional view taken substantially on the line 7-7 of Figure 6,

Figure 8 1s a detail section taken substantially on the line 88 ofFigure 7,

Figure 9 's a detail section taken substantially on the line 9-9 ofFigure 7,

Figure 10 is a sectional elevation of the operating mechanism, c

Figure 11 is a detail section taken substantially on line 1111 of Figure6,

Figure 12 is a front elevation of an aerodescribed and claimed.

, in section,

' threaded as at 9. Rods 10 are threa 1929. Serial no. 380,085.

plane showing another embodiment of the invention,

Figure 13 is an enlarged front elevation of one end of Figure 14 is anenlarged detail section taken sulelstantially on the line 1414 of Figure13, an

J Figure 15 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 15-15 ofFigure 13,

Figure 16 is a fragmentary end elevation of a wing showin the invention,

Figure 17 is a front elevation thereof. Referring to the drawing indetail and first f to the embodiment of the invention shown in Figures 1to 10 inclusive it will be seen that numeral 5 denotes a fuselage withwings'fi projecting laterally therefrom in the usual well known manner.

In the fuselage 5 there is located a trans-. mission casing 7 which hasa shaft 8 j ournaled transversely therethrough the ends of which arehollow and internally and ogpositely edly engaged in the sleeve likeends 9..

i The. outer ends of the rods 10 are at-' tached by suitable means 11 totruck bodies 12 \each of which has a pair of wheels 14 riding on rails15 of trackways 16 extending under the wings 6. Frames 17 are hingedlyengaged as at 18 with the extremities of the wings 6 includes cylinders19 with pistons 20 movable therein and having shanks 21- formed thereonand slidable through re' movable heads 22 in the bottoms .of thecylinders.

Air escapes 23 are provided in the upperend of the cylinder; Forks 24are mounted on the lower ends of the shanks 21 and have ourthe wingshowing the trackway g another embodiment of v naled therein wheels 25having ball bearings v:

the shaft 7, the frames 17 may be drawnup under the wings.

On the shaft 8 within the casing 7 there is splined a sleeve 30 with acentral groove 31 and end bevel gears 32. An operating lever 34 mountedin the casing is engageable with the groove 31 for sliding the sleeve 30so as to mesh either of the gears 32 with a gear 35 operativelyconnected-with engine 36.

This connection is formed by a shaft 37 on which the gear 36 is mounted,said shaft 37 being journaled in bearing standard 38 rising from thebottom of the casing. A gear 39 is fixed to the shaft 37 and meshes witha gear 40 fixed to a shaft 41 journaled in a bearing 42 in the 'top ofthe caSing.

A beveled gear 43 ismounted on the upper end of the shaft 41 and mesheswith a beveled gear 44 formed on a sleeve 45 mounted on shaft 46 and asuitable clutch structure 47 is I associated therewith. The shaft 46 isconnected with the engine 36. Obviously by op-- crating the lever 34 tomesh the desired gear 32 with the gear 35 depending upon the desiredrotation of the shaft 8, the clutch mechanism 37 may be let in therebydriving the 4.

shaft 8 from the engine 36to swing the frames 17 outwardly to relativelyvertical position or inwardly to relatively horizontal position.

In Figures 12 and 14 another operating mechanism has been shown whereinlinks 27. are connected with wheeled trucks 50 ridable in trackways 16,the rails 15 of which are provided with notches'51 so that a pawl. 52may be engaged therewith and lifted out of engagement by-means of cables53 operated from the fuselage 5.

The 'trackways- 16 are mounted under the end portions of the wings 6 asshown clearly in Figure'12. The frames, of course, will From the abovedetailed description it will be seen that when an aeroplane lands andtends to tilt to one side or the other, the wheels 25 will engage thegrounds thereby preventing any injury to the aeroplane and prevent thesame from toppling over. The same action occurs when the aergplane isrunning along the ground for take 0 In the first two embodiments of theinvention, the frames may be easily swung inwardly to an out of the wayposition when the aeroplane is flying. In all embodiments the cylinders19 and pistons20 function as shock absorbers as will be quite apparent.

It is thought that the construction, operation, utility and advantagesof this invention will now be quite apparent to those skilled in thisart without a more detailed description thereof. The present embodimentsof the inventionhave been disclosed in considerable detail merely forthe purposes of exemplification since in actual practice they and theabove description.

attain the features of advantage enumerated. as desirablein thestatement of the invention It will be apparent that changes in thedetails of construction, and in the combination and arrangement of partsmay be resorted to without departing from the spirit or scope of theinvention as hereinafter claimed or sacrificing any of its advantages. J

I claim as new is:

Having thus described myinvention, what 1. In combination with the wingof an aeroplane, a frame mounted on the outer end of the wing, acylinder mounted on the bottom of the frame, air escape means inthevupper portion of the cylinder, ahead in the low er portion of thecylinder, a shank slidable through the head, a piston on the upper endfork onvthe lower end of the shank, and a of the shank and slidable inthe cylinder, a

wheel journalled in said fork, means for hingedly connecting the framewith the wing, and means for swinging the frame in respect to the wing,the last mentioned means comprising, a link pivotally engaged with theframe, a trackway under the wing, a truck ridable in the trackway withwhich said link-is engaged, a rod attached to said truck, a shaft havinga hollow end threade'dly engaged over the rod, and means for turnin theshaft for moving the rod in'and out and thereby moving the truck forswinging the frame.

2. In combination with the wing ofan aeroplane, a frame mounted on theouter end of the wing, a cylinder mounted on the bottom of the frame,air escape means in the upper portion ofthe cylinder, a head in thelower portion of the cylinder, a shank slidable through the head, apiston onthe upper end of the shank and slidable in the cylinder, a forkon the lower end of the shank, and a wheel journaled in said fork, meansfor hingedly connecting the frame with the wing, and means for swingingthe frame in respect to the wing, thelast mentioned means compris ing alink pivotally engaged with the frame, a trackway under the wing, atruck ridable in the trackway with which said link is engaged, a rodattached to said truck, a shaft having a hollowend threadedly engagedover the' rod, and means for turning the shaft for moving the rod'in andout and thereby moving the truck for swinging the frame, said slidablethrough the head, a piston on the up- 10 per end of the shank andslidable in the cyllast mentioned means being operatively connected withan engine.

8. In combination with the wing of an aeroplane, a frame mounted on theouter end of the wing, a cylinder mounted on the bottoin of the frame,air escape means in the upper portion of the c linder, a head in thelower portion of t e cylinder, a shank inder, a fork on the lower end ofthe shank, and a wheel journaled in said fork, means forhingedlyconnecting the frame with the wing, and means for swinging the frame inrespect to the wing, the last mentioned means comprising a linkpivotally engaged with the frame, a trackway under the wing, a truckridable in the trackway with which said link is engaged, 'a rod attachedto said truck, a I

shaft having a hollow end threadedly engaged over the rod, and means forturning the shaft for moving the rod' in and out and thereby moving thetruck for swinging the frame, said last mentioned means beingoperatively connected with an engine, transmission and clutch mechanismincorporated in a said operative connection.

4. In combination with the wing of an aeroplane, a frame mounted on theouter end of the wing, a cylinder mounted on the bottom of the frame,air escape means in the up per-portion of the cylinder, a head in thelower portion of the cylinder, a shank slidable through the head, apiston on the upper end of the shank and slidable in thecylinder, a forkon the lower end of the, shank, and a wheel journalled in said fork,means for hingedly connecting the frame with the wing, and means forswinging the frame in respect to the wing, the last mentioned meanscomprising a link pivotally engaged with the frame, a trackway under thewing, a truck ridable in the trackway with which said link is engaged, arod "attached to said truck, a shaft having a hollow end 'threadedlyen.- gaged over the rod, and means for turning the shaft for moving therod in and out there by moving the truck for swinging the frame, saidtrackway having notches, a pawl on said truck engageable with saidnotches, and means for releasing said pawl.

In testimonfiwhereof I aflix my signature.

IOHARD V. SPENCER.

